Leadership in the Making: "Vision"

Over the past few weeks, I have given much thought to the part the "vision leadership" plays in the role of Church leadership.

As I think back over years of leadership with people, I see many times where I led with vision only to see absolutely NOTHING happen. I remember casting vision for a group of students at Cline Avenue Baptist Church - - painting this grand picture of how things should be in our ministry to students. When they didn't respond, I abandoned ship.

Other times, I have seen the vision that God was leading us toward explode! On most recent years, I can plainly see how God's vision and direction communicated clearly and supported by an incredible team of volunteers has helped our student ministry grow from 50 to 150!

So, lest I forget the things that I told Nate yesterday, I want to write them down... btw- I am not saying that i have this figured out - or for that fact, that I always do this right... just trying to lead and learn at the same time.

VISION COMES FROM GOD.

Every vision that I have ever communicated that has actually done ANYTHING has been something that God did. There were times that I looked for it - - and times when it just happened. The common denominator in each instance was that it was obviously something that I could NOT have accomplished alone.

That being said, I don't want there to be confusion about my importance in all of this. Get this clear - there is NO UNIQUE VISION! Everything that God will lead an organization toward is something that He has already led an organization toward. The UNIQUENESS comes from understanding WHO you are and WHAT God is asking you to do next.

That leads me to my next point...

VISION IS BOTH SEASONAL AND PERMANENT!

Vision is about figuring out what God wants us to do next. What is the next step for the organization? What is the next big hurdle? What is the ONE THING that is keeping us from moving forward?

Get this - that vision is something that comes FROM God - - then it's communicated TO people - - then we work on it WITH people - - once we get some traction on that vision, we look for the next component of vision!

In one way, vision is seasonal - in another way, it is permanent. Once an organization gets some traction on that idea, it becomes a core value that makes up the DNA of that organization. Get this - the former idea doesn't get abandoned - it becomes a part of what makes your organization unique.

VISION IS MULTI-DIMENSIONAL

There are 2 parts to vision leadership. INFORMATION and MOTIVATION!

All of the information about how an organization should move forward wont move anyone - even if you have cool graphics, processes and flow charts.

Conversely, all of the hype in the world will only get people excited long enough to realize that you are an empty leader.

Vision is both informational and motivational - it's like love and marriage... "you can't have one without the other."

VISION IS DYNAMIC

Too often, I have tried to be the only one trying to accomplish a vision. If vision is going to be worth following, it MUST apply everywhere from the communicator down. For instance, "our preaching must be Scripture centered" is not a vision that is dynamic - - it only applies to the preacher.

Vision MUST be something that the people who you work with to accomplish this season of ministry can own and sell to the people THEY work with.

All that said, I have a lot of work to do.

Jeremy